Knots and leaders · 2 min read
A leader too long for this creek
A leader too long for this creek. Keep the focus on leader length on a brushy creek, and keep the water in sight while you do it.
Do it in order
Work from the near bank. Shorten the leader until the cast finishes in the lane you can see. Then look up and see whether the plan still fits the place you are standing.
The usual miss
People lose time to a lake-length leader carried into the trees. Retie, shorten, or reset. Do not negotiate with a setup you already doubt.
Leave only when the fly lands short of the branches. Write nothing down unless that check failed.
This belongs with knots and leaders because the decision happens before you are committed to the cast.
A bank note, not a forecast or a rule sheet. Check the local regulations before you fish.